


Performance Evaluations

by NiCad



Category: The Transformers (IDW Generation One)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-05
Updated: 2016-02-05
Packaged: 2018-05-18 07:57:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,906
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5909026
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NiCad/pseuds/NiCad
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Springer checks up on a few of the Wreckers, discusses the results with Kup, and narrowly dodges a few bullets in the process.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Performance Evaluations

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Watchmaker](https://archiveofourown.org/works/3951730) by [NiCad](https://archiveofourown.org/users/NiCad/pseuds/NiCad). 



> Occurs sometime after Lost & Found.

Perceptor noticed the low-priority message icon appear in the lower left corner of his field of vision, the green “S” indicating that it was from Springer. He continued working until he hit a good stopping point, knowing that was Springer’s intent. The leader of the Wreckers was good about getting in the way as little as possible.

Still, the message was unnerving when he did finally get around to reading it. “Swing by my office when you get a chance. Thanks.”

The Office.

That was never good.

The door swooshed open as soon as he chimed it, Springer behind his desk on the other side, feet propped up on the corner in the cramped space as he set a datapad aside. “Hey, Perceptor. Come on in. Have a seat.”

Perceptor complied as the door closed behind him. “What would you like to discuss?”

Springer pulled his feet off the desk and swiveled the chair to face the scientist, then paused for several moments. “How’re things going?”

Perceptor’s head tilted. “I have several projects running at the moment, all at varying levels of success. Could you be more specific?”

A small smile pulled at the corner of Springer’s mouth. “I meant with you. How are _you_?”

Now it was Perceptor’s turn to pause. Such a query was usually simply a colloquial greeting, though Springer appeared to be asking for an actual status report. “I am running at full capacity.”

Springer’s smile flattened. “How are your upgrades performing?”

“The reticulated optic has increased my targeting accuracy by 67%. I have not yet had an opportunity to assess the enhanced armor in battle conditions, but I predict an 80% increase in compressive strength and a 70% increase in tensile strength.”

“So, sharper shooting, less getting crushed, and less getting pulled apart.”

“Y-Yes.”

Springer leveled his optics at the scientist. “Are you feeling better?”

Perceptor’s expression remained unchanged. “I do not understand.”

The triple changer leaned back in his chair. “Perceptor…” He drew a hand over his optics. “I understand your reluctance to admit to any issues, especially around here. But if you’re going to serve with the Wreckers, you’re going to have to be honest with me. I’m no Rung, but I know PTSD when I see it. You had a close call and you’ve made some serious physical modifications to compensate for it. You’re also not your old self anymore. You’ve already given an explanation, and I can’t entirely disagree with it. My biggest concern right now is how stable are you? If you’re going to be this way, can I count on you to _stay_ this way?”

Perceptor gave a slight nod. “Barring a major environmental change, I predict that my current disposition will persist for the foreseeable future.”

* * *

Roadbuster accepted the engex that Springer handed him. They sat alone on the observation deck, watching the planet below turn slowly on its axis. As quiet as Perceptor had gotten, at least it was still easy enough to get a straight answer out of him when asked. Roadbuster required a bit more priming.

They drank in the not-uncomfortable silence for several minutes, appreciating the view and the brew. Finally, Springer broke the ice.

“Been holed up in your workshop a lot lately.”

“Got a project goin’.”

“Yeah? What is it?” Springer lifted his glass for another swallow.

“Sparkeater.”

Springer’s glass stopped in mid-lift, hung for a moment, and then he set it down. “A what?”

“Not a real sparkeater. Just a weapon that acts like one.”

“This I’ve gotta see.”

A short time later, Springer stood in the doorway of Roadbuster’s workshop as the latter entered and removed the cover from the transparent enclosure. Stumpy tentacles emerged from a round body and writhed fruitlessly, searching for a target, daggers of electricity snapping between them.

Springer did his best to suppress the horror from his expression. “How does it work?”

“When it’s done, you’ll just place it over wherever the target’s spark is housed, and it’ll draw off all of the electrical charge. It’ll be painless; that way the target won’t cause a ruckus and it can be used for stealth ops. It’ll be good for when you want a quiet assassination or something like that.”

“How far away is it from completion?”

Roadbuster shrugged. “I have a few more bugs to work out. Mainly the ‘painless’ bug. The turborats I’ve been testing it with have been putting up quite a fight.”

“I see. Where did you get the idea for this?”

Roadbuster shifted his attention from the sparkeater back up to Springer. “I mentioned wanting to get more involved in R&D during my last performance evaluation, and you told me to go for it. I remembered one of Kup’s stories about the real sparkeaters, and thought I’d put it to good use.”

“I see,” Springer repeated.

“So what do you think?”

Springer looked at Roadbuster’s expression, a mix of pride and hope that he just couldn’t bring himself to extinguish. “Keep at it. Let me know when it’s ready for showtime and we’ll see what we can do with it.”

* * *

“How did it go with Whirl?” Kup leaned back in his chair, propping his feet up on the windowsill.

“Primus, that guy,” Springer shook his head. “I half-expect him to try to kill me in my sleep. I’m going to have to take him off the roster pretty soon.”

“You give him that busted up clock you found on Nebulos?”

“Yep. He said it was beautiful. Then he looked like he was about ready to shove it down my throat and pull it out my aft. We had a brief discussion about hand replacement, and he left reasonably happy.”

Kup chuckled. “You can lead a turbofox to water…”

“Yeah, yeah… can’t make him drink. I’m gonna’ have to do something if he doesn’t turn a corner soon, though. Walking in on a dude snacking on someone else’s transformation cog once was bad enough. I don’t ever want to have that experience again.”

Kup shrugged. “Blocker obviously wasn’t as well put-together as we all thought. Speaking of turning corners, how did it go with Perceptor?”

“I think he’s fine, actually. He’s had an extreme reaction to an extreme circumstance, but it’s an adaptive reaction. At his core, he still functions on logic. It’ll just take some getting used to for everyone.”

“Another strong, silent type then. Which brings us to Roadbuster.”

Springer took a deep breath. “He’s the same, but… he’s building… get this… a sparkeater.”

Kup arched an optic ridge. Speechless. For once.

Springer nodded. “It’s a big… spark-sucking… blob. I don’t know how else to describe it.”

“Where on Primus’s blasted Cybertron did he get the idea for that?”

“You and one of your damned stories.”

The old warrior barked out a laugh. “Bullslag!”

“It’s true! Ask him yourself. Anyway, I’ll have to send him to Kimia with it at some point. We get caught using that thing before they’ve cleared it and Prowl really will have my head on a plate.”

“You actually wanna use it?”

“I’m not sure yet. It creeps me out, but it might come in handy under special circumstances. It’ll be a moot issue if the ethics committee nixes it.”

“You’re gonna put Roadbuster in front of them? They’ll slaughter him.” Kup’s tone was incredulous.

“I’ll have Perceptor coach him. He’ll be fine as long as he knows what they’ll ask him ahead of time. He’ll stick to the facts. I’m more worried about the timing. Our luck, they’ll call him right before a big mission and I’ll have to fill his slot with a rookie.”

“Any ideas on who to fill his space?”

Springer nodded. “I wish Trailbreaker would put his name in. It’d be great to have an Outlier on the team.”

“You know he’s got a booze problem, right?”

“Trailbreaker on a bender is easier to handle than Whirl on a good day. He does good work when it counts. I can work with that.”

Kup looked unconvinced. “You think he’s worth the risk?”

“He p-” Springer bit back on the horrifying truth. _He pulled your nearly-dead corpse off that planet before you could kill him. He did what fifty others couldn’t do._ “He pulls himself together when he has to. Yeah, he’s worth the risk. But that’s another moot point until he puts his name in. I dropped a hint about it last time I saw him. I’ll do it again next time.”

Kup shrugged, as if in resignation. “So what about me?”

“What about you?”

“Your assessment.”

Springer paused, considering his words carefully. “I didn’t think I needed to do one for you.” _I hate that damn cygar. I hate that it actually works. I hate what you might turn back into without it. I hate what I’ll have to do to you if it stops working. I’m scared to death that I won’t be able to do it. And if the price of having someone on the team who can instantaneously put you in a bubble and keep you and everyone else safe is as minor as dealing with a drinking problem, so be it._ “Other than ‘curmudgeonly warhorse,’ I got nothing to say about you.” He forced the smile, hoping for Kup to buy it, knowing that Kup knew him better than that, but hoping nonetheless. “You have anything on me?” More diversion couldn’t hurt.

Kup considered for a moment, but only a brief one before meeting Springer’s optics with his own. “I’m gonna tell it like it is, kid. You worry too much. You blame yourself for things you can’t control, and sometimes you take your eye off the ball on the things you can control because of it.”

Springer nodded. “I appreciate the honesty.” He wondered how well Kup could read him, how much he was holding back on because he knew just enough to not push the point. It was all he could do to keep himself from squirming under his old mentor’s gaze.

“You also throw good resources after bad.”

Springer froze. “Oh?”

Kup continued. “Prowl told me about all those trips you took to come see me while I was offline at Ark-17. Shouldn’t have wasted your time like that, lad. I don’t even remember you bein’ there, and you had more important things to take care of.”

Springer did his best to suppress a sigh of relief. “You’re a historic artifact. I had to make sure you were being treated appropriately.”

Kup laughed, shaking his head. “Other than that, you shoulder this rowdy bunch of ‘bots just fine. They look to you for direction, and you never disappoint. You lead from the front, provide a good example, all without setting yourself apart from them.”

“A good example, huh? Even when I put superior officers on the floor?”

Kup smiled. “Prowl had it coming. And if you’re gonna throw punches, the floor is as good a place as any for the other guy to end up. As opposed to your encounter with Jazz.”

Springer shrugged and laughed. “Ok, fair enough.” He tilted his head at the chime of an incoming message. “Sounds like Roadbuster just tapped a keg of homebrew enjex.”

Kup brightened. “Sounds like we oughtta’ make sure he doesn’t drink it all himself.”

Springer unfolded himself from behind his desk and stood up, doing his best to ignore that damned humming sound from his knees. “Duty calls.”


End file.
